In the performance of orthopedic surgery and related procedures directed to the leg, foot and ankle, it is often necessary to support the leg and foot in a fixed, elevated position during the procedure, and also to vary the limb's orientation from time to time. In some cases, operating room personnel manually support the leg and foot and change the support position upon request. The use of operating room personnel to support a patient during a surgical procedure is sometimes unsatisfactory in that the assistant may tire and find it necessary to change position at some critical or otherwise inconvenient time. Additionally, pillows and other padded devices have been used. Such devices may obstruct the performance of surgery or related procedures and usually cannot provide overload support for slings, braces, hooks and the like.
Accordingly, various mechanical devices have been constructed and utilized for supporting and positioning body portions including limbs during the performance of surgery on a portion of a limb itself or a connecting joint. Such mechanical devices are adapted for attachment to an operating table or a free standing platform and generally include surgical support apparatus overlying the sterile zone of the operating table. Such equipment may be clamped onto a side rail of the operating table and is released and moved about from time to time as required by the surgical procedure. Free standing support equipment is not in widespread use for orthopedic procedures because of the stability requirements of such procedures.